4531-4540
PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE
SECTION 4531-4540
4531. The board shall divide the state into not less than three districts. In establishing these districts, the board shall take into account differing physical characteristics, including, but not limited to, climate, soil type, and principal forest crops. Insofar as possible, the board shall group together lands that have substantially similar characteristics and that will best be served by substantially similar regulations. Boundaries of such districts may be altered from time to time as the board determines is necessary. 4532. Each committee shall consist of nine members, and all shall represent the general public interest. 4533. All members shall be appointed on the basis of their educational and professional qualifications and their general knowledge of, and interest and experience in, ecology, soil science, watershed hydrology, range management, silviculture and forestry, forest recreation, forest landscape architecture, forest products manufacture, forest industry economics, or fish and wildlife habitat. 4534. Five members of the committee shall be selected from the general public, three members shall be selected from the forest products industry, and one member shall be selected from the range livestock industry. At no time shall a majority of the members, nor any of the members selected from the general public, be persons with a direct personal financial interest, within the meaning of Section 1120 of the Government Code, in timberlands. 4536. The committees shall be continuing bodies, and vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as original appointments are made. An appointment to a vacancy on a committee occurring before the expiration of a term shall be for the remainder of that term, and the person appointed shall be appointed from the appropriate group for the vacant seat. 4537. The committees shall meet at least once each year, in January, and at other times as necessary. All meetings of the committee shall be open to the public, and notice of such meetings shall be provided 10 days in advance to any person who requests such notice in writing; provided, that meetings may be held with 24-hour notice when such meetings are necessary to discuss unforeseen emergency conditions as may be provided by the board in regulations adopted pertaining hereto. 4538. An employee of the department shall be designated by the board to serve as secretary of each district committee and shall meet with and take part in all deliberations of the committee, but shall vote only in the case of a tie. 4539. The appointive members of the committee shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be entitled to their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. 4540. Each committee shall advise the board in the establishment of district forest practice rules to govern timber operations on timberlands within the district. In advising the board, the committee shall not interfere with any of the powers and duties of the board. The committees shall consult with, and carefully evaluate the recommendations of, the department, concerned federal, state and local agencies, educational institutions, civic and public interest organizations, and private organizations and individuals. Each committee shall seek an optimum of interagency cooperation in identification of problems and proposing solutions.